Remembering You
by Novadestin
Summary: The height of tension that one could only get when involved with betrayal mixed with happy memories was something they were both feeling and something they both understood.


**Remembering You  
**

**Warnings:** Strong Violence, Sensitive Topic/Issue/Theme

**Era:** Pre-Hogwarts **Pairings: **Snape/Lily, James/Lily, Bella/Rodolphus

**Characters:** Snape, Lily, Avery Jr, Avery Sr., Bellatrix, Rodolphus, Other Canon

**Summary:**

*Written for monkeyface's 'Remembering You' challenge on HPFF* _The height of tension that one could only get when involved with betrayal mixed with happy memories was something they were both feeling and something they both understood._

_When you remember what I mean to you. I'll remember what you put me through. – monkeyface

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The girl hit the ground hard, her red hair falling everywhere. Yet she stood back up silently, her eyes glazed over, as if asking for more. In truth, she was asking for more, she would ask for anything they told her to under the imperious curse. That was what made it fun to them.

The dark robes they wore did not blow in the subtle wind, they were too heavy. They simply hung over their bodies like death shrouds. That was probably why everyone called them Death Eaters. Well, that and their unbelievable fondness for death and depravity.

However it was their lust for power that Voldemort praised them for. Anything to get to the top was necessary he would tell them, which meant they were basically free to do anything they pleased. That was why most of them had joined.

Still none of them misbehaved when Voldemort was actually there. No one dared make a move under his watchful red eyes without full permission first. While they were all stone cold Death Eaters, none of them had a death wish to die at the hands of a true killer. His imagination with murder was something that frightened even them.

Yet Voldemort was not there now, it wasn't worthy of his time. The newest members of his order were not something he had any need for and only bothered with them when they proved to be fools. Instead, he had placed one of his trusted and most loyal to watch over them, to make sure they were worthy enough for the title of Death Eater.

On this particular task the Dark Lord had placed Avery in charge. Something Avery was more than happy to do as it meant a mission to observe his son in action, who stood next to his school friends Mulciber, and Wilkes**.** Across from them were Rodolphus Lestrange and his girlfriend Bellatrix Black along with Rodolphus' brother Rabastan**.** It was quite a group and the eldest Avery had high hopes they would impress his great lord.

It was only Severus Snape who stood out, standing next to him as if it was his job to observe as well. When asked why he didn't participate, Severus merely stated that he was the one who had brought the girl there. He had done his job.

It was true that Severus had been given the specific task of bringing them the girl, something which irritated Avery immensely as it should have been his son, but there was no reason for him to act so passive. What little light actually managed to reflect off his cold face showed the emotion of a stone.

It was no surprise to him that Voldemort favored Severus over the other new members. What Avery had seen of him showed that his skills were excellent and his demeanor almost rivaled that of the Dark Lord himself.

Avery stopped, scolding himself mentally. He should not be praising his son's rival, no matter if it was solely in his mind or not. Besides, now was not the time to be praising anyone. Their prey was under the imperious curse and it was time to get the information they had been sent for. As Avery watched them question her, he could no longer see the terror on the girl's face that he had watched for nearly an hour now. It had been such a pretty sight with those green eyes of hers.

Voldemort's plan of using young members to deal with young targets was a fine idea. Most of them had gone to school with her and so knew several ways to make her fearful. Threatening her family and her soon to be husband by name was something only a person with a connection could do. Not to mention that when she had first seen their faces, the look of pure fright she gave them almost had him believing that she would tell them anything without the slightest use of a wand.

The girl, however, had proved to be more resilient than he would have believed and never gave in under any spell of torture, not even the cruciatus curse. Finally, she left them no choice but to take control. It was his least favorite tactic and the kids crumbled over the loss of their plaything, but there was no other option. The information they needed to uncover could very well be the key to the Dark Lord's next attack.

As he walked closer, he could hear the girl muttering about the Order of the Phoenix, their true target. The information was sketchy and there were massive holes, but she told them what they wanted to know. Now the youngsters wanted to play again. It was something he would not begrudge them and smirked as he told them to have fun.

However, for the first time that evening, Severus spoke up. It wasn't in conversation, but a spell that sent all of their wands flying into the air. The imperious curse was broken and the girl's green eyes joined with the other eight that now stared at him. No one was happy and Severus could see it in their faces, especially the eldest Avery who was not pleased that such a young member was defying him.

Nevertheless, they made no move against him. None reached for their wands which lay on the cold, damp earth and no one spoke. When he told the girl to run she didn't move. Severus knew she wouldn't understand, but when he yelled to her again she seemed to grasp what was happening.

She stood but did not run away. Instead she faced him down, standing only inches from his wand. She didn't care that she was facing her death or that he had been someone she trusted, this was her chance to finally tell him what she thought.

And she let him have it, screaming at him that they used to be friends. She could not believe that he was only now trying to help her, after bringing her there to be tortured in the first place. The other young Death Eaters around him stood back and let her degrade him, some laughing under their breath. As she yelled, his stone face faltered only for a small moment, as if he might finally tell her the truth about his feelings, but her icy statements left his emotions just as frozen.

With her words still trailing in the air, she turned to leave. Several of the others reached for their wands but it was not Severus who told them off. The youngest Avery moved to follow Severus after the girl, his eyes on his father. When Avery asked what his son was doing, he only stated that they wouldn't understand.

Seeing his son's face show him such contempt was not something he understood. This was his son, his pride, and yet there was such derision in him. After everything he had done it was as if his son didn't want any of what he was trying to give. Avery knew his son wished to serve the Dark Lord, but now he was seeing it was himself that his son didn't want to follow.

He had committed such horrors and he had tried to teach his son to do the same. Perhaps it was not the best lesson for a father to teach his son, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He had turned his son into a Death Eater and lost his approval forever.

That was part of the reason Severus was not surprised when the younger Avery appeared next to him in the woods. The height of tension that one could only get when involved with betrayal mixed with happy memories was something they were both feeling and something they both understood. Avery for his hatred of the pressures his father forced upon him and Severus for having handed over his one love for his own future.

He raised his wand to Lily and said his final goodbye to her back as he erased the image of this night from her memories, "obliviate."


End file.
